A couple in their 60's, a 1940's army building turned into a 3 bedroom cottage, 2.5 acres, vegetable and herbal gardens, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, Great Pyrenees, rescue dogs and cats, living as simple and frugal as possible. That is what you will find written about here. Thank you for stopping by. Share anything you like and ask any questions you wish!

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Because I think I have the most awesome blog neighbors I wanted to share some with you. Each Wednesday I will post one of my blog neighbors and hope you will drop by their blog for a visit. You don't have to follow them or even leave a comment (though that would be nice). Just stop by and check them out. Who knows you might like them so much they become your neighbor too!

I think you are really going to be amazed at this lady! She and her husband are parents to 17 children! Some are adopted. Some are special needs but they are all their children and their family is overflowing with love. When you visit her blog and see her header it will show 15 of her 17 children. They just got back home in July from adopting 2 young boys from Ukraine.

This mom home schools some of her children while others attend public school. While keeping her beautiful large home clean, laundry done, meals prepared, and making sure to spend one on one time with the kids she makes sure each child gets the medical, dental, surgical needs met. This lady does more in the first hour of rising then I can get done all day. She is a inspiration to all of us. Her faith carries her through the trials with a smile on her face, knowing God is with her every step of the way. I think you will like this blog neighbor of mine and find her blog a blessing to read. Please take time from your busy schedule and pay her a visit.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

We only got one bucket of the field peas shelled before plans for the evening fell apart. Earlier in the evening we had to run to Tractor Supply to help a lady with a sick pet chicken. While we were gone our neighbors son and grandchildren threw cutting from where they had trimmed his bushes over into the goat pens. They didn't know azalea is very, very, toxin to goats. We weren't home and didn't know they were in the pens. Before you think terrible things about these people.. please don't. They love all of animals and have been allowed to give them treats and go in the pens. Our dogs don't even bark when they see them. They are very caring, good, people. They just didn't know about the azalea bushes and we had told our neighbors wife what the goats could not have but she has passed away and I forgot to tell her husband, thinking she had told him. This was no way intentional or their fault. It happens. Anyway, back to Saturday night. While we were shelling peas we heard a goat scream in pain over the baby monitor. We ran out to find all the goats very sick, throwing up, some unable to stand. It was dark in the lower part of the pens and we didn't see the cuttings. We started checking goats thinking maybe they had somehow gotten into the feed room and had bloat. That wasn't the case. We kept checking their symptoms and realized they were poisoned. We then started looking around to see from what so we would know how to treat them. With a big spot light set up we searched the pens and found the azalea limbs and leaves they hadn't eat. Cleaned all of it out of the pens and then started giving 7 goats and a ewe tablespoons of salt to make sure they threw up as much as possible. A hour later we gave them mineral oil mixed in gator aid to not only coat their stomach but help them throw up.Even gave IV to one.

What? You never used your diningroom as a ER and the ceiling fan as a IV pole?
Thank goodness the 2 young bucks and Lil Vicki hadn't eaten very much. Around 2AM they were past the worst of it and were resting. Mammy ate only a little because she was fine quickly. The others were slowly calming down except for Buttons and Robby. They must have eaten a lot as they were really bad off. After we got what we thought was all out of their stomachs by making them throw up we gave them pro-biotic and electrolytes. After a couple of hours they seemed to be resting so we went inside to try and sleep. A couple hours later found Buttons still resting but Robby was back to screaming and throwing up. I gave him a little gator aid and more pro- biotic. Sat and kept a cool wet cloth on his head and he finally seemed to rest. Most of Sunday had the goats and ewe just laying around resting. No grain for the gang, just hay left for them to nibble on if they felt up to it. This morning had all of them at the gate crying for their feed except Robby. He was worse than yesterday. He was having dry heaves and couldn't urinate. Time for IV's. I put fresh straw in his stall and got him settled in. Robby stood still while we got the IV started as if he knew we were doing our best to help him. I kept putting cool cloths on his head and that seemed to help with the dry heaves. Finally after getting half of the IV bag he urinated and started moving around like he was feeling better. Finished the IV and he went out of his stall and straight over to the doghouse. Guess he decided that was where he was going to recover. He spent the day in the doghouse napping. Tonight finds the gang still a little weak but all are on the road to recovering and getting back to their "normal". During all of this each one of them seem to know we were trying to help them. Mary the ewe doesn't like to be handled unless you have food for her but while she was sick she let us put medicine in her mouth, check her eyes, mouth, etc. Even the baby goats opened their mouths and didn't fight when taking their meds. The best part of this scary weekend was tonight as I was doing my bedtime check. Robby came walking right up to me and started licking my face. He nuzzled my neck and then seemed to kiss my nose. I think it was his way of saying thank you. I gave him a kiss on his nose and told him he was very welcome. What a blessing they all pulled through. I was very afraid we were going to lose Buttons and Robby but lots of prayers, a phone call to NC Vet Hospital, and a little help from us all is peaceful at the homestead. I am blessed!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Shelling and canning 4 buckets of field peas.... couldn't think of a better way to spend a Saturday evening. The best part, a friend let us pick all we want from his field for free! I am so very blessed. Don't forget to take time to count your blessings.............no matter how small.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

I follow way too many lots of blogs. I feel like they are my neighbor and friend since I am at their "place" almost every day. I sometimes look to see what blogs they are following and end up with more blog neighbors! Since I think my blog neighbors are some of the best in blog land I wanted to introduce you to them. You might even decide you want some of them for your neighbor. Each Wednesday I will post a link and I hope you take the time to pay them a visit and say hi. You don't have to follow them. I just want to share some of my wonderful blog neighbors with you in case you haven't met them.

This sweet wife and mom of 10 not only homeschools but lived for almost a year in 600 sq feet trailer (some of that time having to haul in water) while clearing land and getting a bigger home moved in. Besides caring for her 10 fantastic children she is bottle feeding 3 baby goats. She always seems to have time to get everything done and keep her dreams alive. Her post will make you laugh, cry, and feel there is finally someone out there that understands life and how to make the most of it. If you have time you should read the beginning of her blog and how they came to be on a mountain in Eastern Tennessee. You won't regret it. Now rush on over and pay Mystic Mud a visit. Have a nice cold beverage handy cause you might want to stay a spell.

Monday, August 20, 2012

The windows and doors are open! The A/C is turned off and I have enjoyed working outside without sweating from the heat and humidity. I know it won't last long but I sure am enjoying it while it last. It's still in the mid 80's but not humid. Even having rain but that is even nice working in. Fall surely must be right around the corner and will arrive soon.

I am still working on things from the herb garden. Am making mint extract and also trying my hand at making my own vanilla extract. The dehydrator stays busy drying herbs for me to use this winter. Also making my own herbal tea mixes. Has been cool enough to be in the kitchen making jams and jellies. Still working on apple butter as have lots of apples. The fall garden is almost completely planted and with all the rain should do really well. Have also taken advantage of the cooler weather to cook up meals for the freezer to save me time for more outdoor projects. Enjoying all the blessings coming my way and hope you are too!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

I just love getting photos of grands. Living so far away I don't get to spend very much time with them so pictures are very much look forward to.

Grandson Skyler with a picture of his grandpa Woody (my late husband)

Grandson Quintin who is a high school freshman this year

Granddaughter Gabby who is also a high school freshman this year

Just love this family photo! Quintin and Gabby are so good to their baby brother.

I sure miss my snuggle time with Skyler and can't believe how fast he is growing. Am so blessed to have Megan as a daughter and so thankful she is such a loving, caring, devoted mom to her children. God is good!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

You know you are old when the excitement of the day is a ambulance pulling in your front yard with lights and sirens going. No, no one here called for or needed one, it just made a wrong turn and came down our LONG, dirt and bumpy driveway. We live to the left of Little Lane and every time a ambulance is called for a house on that dirt road they turn left and come thru the woods on our small dirt driveway. Everytime they arrive they ask if I called and everytime I tell them our address is Stoney Point Road and they needed to take a right instead of coming down our driveway. Then I help them turn around and they head off to where they should have already been. Sometimes its even the same EMT's that made the mistake before. I feel sorry for the families waiting for them to show up. I also have to answer the phone calls with no, the ambulance wasn't for one of us. We are okay, it just made a wrong turn. I also text my friends that live close by so they know we are okay. A little excitement is good for the heart I guess, but would prefer it without the sirens next time.

Everyone seems to be talking about all their lovely cool weather. How they have turned off the A/C and opened up their windows. Well that weather sure isn't here. Still hot and humid. Still wet with sweat 2 minutes after walking outside. Still have the A/C going. Animals still hogging the fans we have going outside and rabbits are still snuggling their frozen water bottles. The leaves are falling off the tree like its fall. The squirrels are grabbing hickory nuts and running off to store them like its fall. We just need fall weather to arrive. The fall garden is going great right now. We are getting showers often which then turns back to steamy jungle heat. I am trying to work outside early mornings and in the evenings but sometimes I just have to do things outside during the day. Just accept I am going to look like I took a shower with my clothes on and not worry about it. Winter will be here soon..... Oh please tell me winter will come this year.

We are trying to find someone that will process some of our hens and roosters for us. I am slow plucking chickens and really don't like to do it so am hoping we can find someone that is set up for and does it often. We are also going to have Mary, our sheep butchered this fall. We don't have a ram and we really don't want to raise sheep so with the price of feed going up putting her in the freezer is our best solution. I still need to post pictures of Mammy, our Alpine/? milk goat and Harmony, our Nubian yearling (that was bred last week). They sure are a handful most days. They love to get into things. They love to try to knock the chicken feed bucket out of your hands. They love to follow you around till you aren't looking then butt you in the butt. They love to be petted and the center of attention and do not want each other or any other goat to get that attention. Mammy is a great milker and am hoping Harmony will be too after she kids.

Getting ready for the Farm and Garden Swap Meet this Saturday at Tractor Supply. Hopefully we will sell some of our rabbits, along with some teenage chicks, goat milk soap, and whatever else we decide between now and then. We have good luck selling at these meets and enjoy meeting people and making new friends.
This Saturday is also granddaughter Raigun's birthday party. She turned 12 on August 7th but having a pool party this weekend. Since its in Tennessee I will be missing the party but looking forward to seeing lots of pictures and hearing about all the fun she has.

Things are kinda quiet at the homestead (except for ambulances) but will be canning field peas and tomatoes the next few days. Hopefully have enough tomatoes to make sauces and ketchup. We also will be splitting and stacking some of the wood we have gathered over the summer, getting ready for the winter I hope we have soon. Always something to do but am blessed I have them to do and able to do them. Don't forget to count your blessings... no matter how small.

Monday, August 6, 2012

I have been home a week and am still as behind as I was when I first came home. William and grandson Will stayed busy feeding and watering the animals inbetween keeping the handyman business going. There wasn't much time for raking pens, cleaning stalls, cleaning and refilling nesting boxes, They kept the dishes done and most of the laundry but not enough time to clean the house,mow the grass, take care of the gardens. The good thing is William appreciates what I do around the homestead a lot better. It's just been an overwhelming week trying to catch up but not knowing in what direction to turn. As I feed I see pens that need raking and mending. I see animals that need their fall vaccinations and worming. My herb garden looks like a jungle and so many plants need cutting and dried. The seeds for the fall garden are sitting on the table waiting. It has been so hot and humid that a few minutes outside has me soaking wet in sweat and ready to run inside. I waited till summer was almost over to catch a summer cold. Its a chest cold and feels like an elephant sitting on my chest. But when I stop and look over all the to dos on my list I am blessed I am able to make and work on a to do list. I am blessed to have a home, food, family, and animals. The price of feed has sky rocketed as has items in the grocery store. The grocery store doesn't worry me too much as we don't need a lot from there. The feed is a worry but we are making plans to cut back on farm animals (this after William traded a puppy for a Nubian doeling. Not the one in the picture). We have way too many rabbits and will start there as well as selling some of our young hens and roosters. While I was gone William didn't gather eggs the first couple of days which made the hens want to start sitting. There are 10 hens sitting on eggs right now and egg customers not getting eggs. Hopefully our young hens will start laying in the next couple weeks. We have way too many as well as too many baby chicks with more on the way. But things happen for a reason and hopefully there will be people wanting hens so they can have their own eggs. If not there is always plenty of room in the freezer for chicken. After having grandchildren around all summer its very quiet with just William and I, but its good to get back to a normal routine on the homestead. Miss my girls and grands very much. Wish I could be there for them when things come up but I am blessed they call, text, and email to keep me a part of their everyday lives. All in all I am very blessed though this post has me venting. Everyone has a time in their life where they are burnt out or overwhelmed. I have had mine for the year and now am ready to get on with farm life and "Get er done".